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“Who these people?” Baby Cakes said.
“They could be anybody. Do you recognize anyone?”
The seconds passed one tick at a time. “Maybe this one here. Maybe he was the guy who come running from the road.”
“Maybe?”
“The lightning flashed. I ain’t seen him but a second. He’s a big man, ain’t he?”
“Tell me what he looked like.”
“The man I seen come running was big. Maybe he picked up a rock or a brick. I couldn’t see the face of the other man, the one fighting t’rew the window.”
“Walk outside with me.”
I turned my back to the house as they exited the front door.
“Dave, would you come here, please?” Helen said.
I walked toward the gallery. Even though the day was warm, my face felt cold in the wind, my mouth dry, my ears ringing.
“Know this man?” she said to Baby Cakes.
His hair was peroxided the color of brass, his eyes blue, his earlobes pierced. “He’s in the pictures you just showed me.”
“This is Detective Robicheaux,” she said.
“How you do, suh?” the boy said.
“Have you seen him anywhere besides the photo I showed you?”
“No, ma’am, I ain’t seed him before.”
“The man you identified is named Kevin Penny. Have you seen him anywhere else?”
“No, ma’am, I ain’t.”
“Don’t talk about this to anyone,” Helen said. “Can you do that for me?”
“Am I gonna have trouble? I mean wit’ this guy?”
“No, your name will not be given to anyone,” Helen said.
“What about at a trial?”
“We’ll talk about that later,” Helen said.
“I knowed it.”
“You knew what?” she asked.
“I’m gonna pay the price.”
“Here’s my card,” Helen said. “Call me if you have questions or trouble of any kind.”
I could not count the times I had used a business card to provide solace for people we hung out to dry. That wasn’t Helen’s intention, but it’s what we did with regularity. She and Labiche and I got into the cruiser. Helen started the engine.
“I know when a nigger is lying,” Labiche said.
